Frank Marino-The Power Of Rock and Roll (1981)-Juggernaut (1982)

In 1981, Canadian guitarist Frank Marino parted ways with Mahogany Rush to begin releasing his subsequent albums under his own name. His first solo album was "The Power of Rock and Roll", released on Columbia Records. However, his backing musicians on this album remained the same as in his band, starting with his brother Vince Marino on guitar, bassist Paul Harwood, and drummer Jim Ayoub. What didn't change was his characteristic incendiary style, as demonstrated in the tracks "The Power of Rock and Roll", "Play My Music", "Stay With Me", and "Young Man", while the exhilarating hard rock emerges in the fantastic guitar tour de force "Runnin' Wild" and the dizzying "Go Strange". A year later, Frank Marino paid homage to AOR sounds with the release of "Juggernaut", in which the man considered the Canadian Hendrix showed himself to be quite comfortable setting aside his guitar hero to focus on the songs. An album featuring tracks such as "For Your Love", "Stories Of a Hero" or "Strange Dreams".

Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush-What´s Next (1980)

At the start of the 1980s, Canadian guitarist Frank Marino released his seventh album with his inseparable band Mahogany Rush, this time with the addition of Vince Marino (Frank's brother) on second guitar. The rest of the lineup remained the same: bassist Paul Harwood and drummer Jimmy Ayoub. Despite the growing emphasis on melody and the ubiquitous keyboards that were beginning to take hold in rock music during those years, Frank Marino was still determined to expand his powerful 1970s hard rock sound, as evidenced by "What's Next", with a repertoire packed with tremendous songs like "Loved By You", "Finish Line", "Something's Comin' Our Way", and powerful covers such as the traditional blues "Rock Me Baby", Bob Diddley's exhilarating "Mona", and The Doors' frenetic "Roadhouse Blues".

Etna-Etna (1975)

Etna was an interesting Italian band with a curious career, reflected in three albums released under different names. Formed in the early 1970s in Sicily by brothers Agostino and Antonio Marangolo (drums and keyboards respectively), guitarist Carlo Pennisi, and bassist Elio Volpini, they moved to Rome in early 1971. There, they established their base of operations and released several albums focused on progressive hard rock under the name Flea On The Honey. After several lineup changes, the band disbanded for a time until 1975, when the original members reunited and, under the name Etna, released their only self-titled album. In this new release, the band shifted towards melodic jazz-rock, creating a superb instrumental jazz-rock fusion album driven by guitar and keyboards. Echoes of iconic bands like the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report and Nucleus, seasoned with influences from the Canterbury sound, made up one of the most appreciated albums of transalpine and European jazz rock.

Streetwalkers-Red Card (1976)

After the breakup of Family, two of its members, Roger Chapman and John Whitney, formed Streetwalkers, a group that followed a similar stylistic pattern to its predecessor. Originally called the Chapman Whitney Band, after signing with Reprise Records, they recorded the album "Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers", with a lineup that also included other former Family members such as Ric Grech and John Wetton, as well as former King Crimson members Mel Collins, Ian Wallace, and Michael Giles. After several concerts in Great Britain, the group changed its name to Streetwalkers, with the addition of drummer Nicko McBrain. "Downtown Flyers" was Streetwalkers' debut album, which had little impact in the United States, but was very well received in Europe. A year later, they released "Red Card", which achieved considerable success on the British charts. For this album, the band had expanded with guitarist Bobby Tench (formerly of Jeff Beck) and bassist Jon Plotel. The reception of this splendid second album led to them being chosen for various tours across England alongside Outlaws, Little Feat, the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, and The Who. "Red Card" comprises a repertoire of infectious, classic-rock-oriented songs, with Chapman's raspy vocals as the main attraction. The opening groove of "Run For Cover", the spontaneous and carefree "Roll Up Roll Up", the bluesy groove of "Me An' Me Horse An' Me Rum", the magnificent "Shotgun Messiah" and "Decadence Code", and the hypnotic "Crazy Charade" are all part of one of the gems of the best British rock of the 70s.

Eric Clapton-461 Ocean Boulevard (1974)

Few musicians like Eric Clapton can boast of having belonged to four of the greatest bands in history: The Yardbirds, John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers, Cream, and Blind Faith, with whom he left behind some of the masterpieces of rock music, and yet having a solo career full of ups and downs. This somewhat diminished his credibility, not as a guitarist, which is beyond question, but due to his consistently limited songwriting ability. Even so, his extensive discography includes some of the best albums recorded in the 1970s, such as "461 Ocean Boulevard", released in 1974. This second album was his second and definitively cemented his solo career. In this second release, Clapton skillfully delves into the roots of American music, blending blues, country, and R&B with pop, reggae, and rock. Suggestive tracks like "Let It Grow" alternate with exquisite versions such as Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff", Willie Dixon's "I Can't Hold Out" or Johnny Otis' "Willie and the Hand Jive", while the traditional and lively "Motherless Children" or the beautiful folk blues "Please Be With Me", led the album to the top of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

Asia Minor-Between Flesh And Divine (1980)

Asia Minor was a French band that emerged as the golden age of progressive rock was ending and the European neo-progressive movement was beginning to take hold. Formed by several musicians of Turkish and French descent, they released two magnificent albums that are among the finest recordings of the European avant-garde genre. Influenced by the atmospheric and symphonic sound of Camel, their debut in the late seventies showed great promise thanks to their exuberant symphonic style. However, all their creativity and immense talent would be fully realized on their second full-length album, "Between Flesh and Divine", considered one of the jewels of French progressive rock. It features highly musical compositions brimming with intricate interplay between all the instruments, as exemplified in tracks such as the harmonious "Nightwind", the bucolic "Northern Lights", the dark psychedelic "Lost in a Dream Yell", and the dynamic "Dreadful Memories". However, the lack of media recognition, both commercially and critically, would precipitate the dissolution of Asia Minor some time after the release of this second album. 

Electric Light Orchestra-Eldorado (1974)

In 1974, Electric Light Orchestra was still in the midst of a perfectionist process, searching for a distinctive style that blended progressive rock with the pop melodies inherited from The Beatles. That same year saw the release of "Eldorado", the band's fourth album, where frontman Jeff Lynne began exploring how to make his progressive and complex sound both addictive and popular. Conceived as a concept album about dreams and the magic of humankind, this new release features a 30-piece orchestra conducted by Louis Clark, in addition to Lynne's own band, comprised of Richard Tandy (keyboards), Hugh McDowell (cello), Bev Bevan (drums), Michael Edwards (cello), Mike Kaminski (violin), and Mike de Albuquerque (bass). This arsenal of musicians and instruments transforms the album into an uplifting torrent of grandiose progressive pop. This grandiosity is reflected in the opening "Eldorado Overture" and the closing "Eldorado-Finale". Here also appears one of the band's iconic pieces, the exuberant pop "Can't Get It Out Of My Head", a clear indication of what was to come in the following years. The poignant "Boy Blue", a classic piece featuring prominent brass instruments and string interludes, the melodic "Laredo Tornado", the rocking "Poorboy", the ingenious "Nobody's Child", and the brilliant "Eldorado" showed that Jeff Lynne was on the right track, gradually developing the characteristic sound of Electric Light Orchestra, a distinctive style that would later bring them definitive acclaim.

Beyond-O-Matic-Sonic Reclaimator (1996)

Beyond-O-Matic was an interesting American space rock band that released four noteworthy albums between 1994 and 2010. In 1996, with their second album, "Sonic Reclaimator", this band comprised of Peter Fuhry (vocals, guitar, accordion, flute, and clarinet), Glenn Wilcox (drums), and Kurtz Stenzel (keyboards), demonstrated the compositional maturity that had been somewhat lacking in their first and commendable release, "The Flight of Luis García" (1994). On this album, their brilliant approach, featuring expansive tracks, atmospheric and relaxed passages under the ever-present ambient synthesizers, and hard rock influences, makes this release one of the best American progressive efforts of the 1990s.

Flame Dream-Out In The Dark (1981)

In the 1980s, among the hundred or so progressive rock or art rock bands, few adhered to the avant-garde philosophy of the 1970s. However, several dozen maintained the germinal spirit of the genre's beginnings in the late 1960s. One of these was Flame Dream, a Swiss band that drew from the classic symphonic rock of Yes and Genesis during their golden age. Their style, driven by Ronald Ruckstuhl's keyboards, clearly displays these influences but with an added accessibility for modern audiences. The addition of wind instruments like the flute and saxophone broadens their musical palette, making them much more than mere imitators. Formed in 1977 in Lucerne, they released five superb albums over ten years, highly regarded today by proghead fans. "Out In The Dark", released in 1981, was the third album by this Swiss band, comprised of Roland Ruckstuhl (keyboards and synthesizers), Peter Wolf (wind instruments and vocals), Urs Hochuli (bass and vocals), Peter Furrer (drums), and Dale Hauskins (guitar). Tracks like "Wintertime Nights", "Nocturnal Flight", and "Strange Meeting", with their vintage Genesis influence, along with the elaborate instrumental "Kaleidoscope", make up a work that both revived and maintained a musical essence that seemed somewhat outdated in the early 1980s.

Frank Zappa-Roxy & Elsewhere (1974)

Recorded at Hollywood's legendary Roxy Theatre between December 10 and 12, 1973, "Roxy & Elsewhere" was Frank Zappa's third live album. Released as a double LP, it contained previously unreleased material of unquestionable quality, while also showcasing the enormous versatility of the brilliant American musician. During those years, Zappa had assembled one of his best lineups, featuring George Duke (keyboards), Don Preston (synthesizers), Frank Zappa (guitar and vocals), Chester Thompson (drums), Tom Fowler (bass), Jeff Simmons (guitar), Ruth Underwood (vibraphone), Bruce Fowler (trombone), Napoleon Murphy (saxophone), Walt Fowler (trumpet), and Ralph Humphrey (percussion). The content of this live recording ranges from jazz rock and fusion to operatic and ironic rock, with a bluesy undercurrent and a series of ingenious instrumentals, in addition to Zappa's usual banter and humorous, sarcastic dialogue. The jazz rock/blues of "Penguin In Bondage", the humorous funk of "Dummy Up", the twisted rhythm and blues of "Village of the Sun", the energetic jazz rock of "Cheepnis", and the progressive jazz fusion of "Be-Bop Tango" showcase the excellent talents of all the musicians involved in this double album, beginning with Zappa's heart-wrenching guitar solos and continuing with the magnificent work of George Duke, Ruth Underwood, Chester Thompson, and Napoleon Murphy.

Mahalia Jackson-In The Upper Room (1959)

Mahalia Jackson is undoubtedly the most admired and respected gospel singer and African American religious music artist in history. Considered a diva of the genre, she transcended being a prominent singer and performer; her religious and social commitment led her to participate in numerous advocacy activities alongside Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Despite collaborating with jazz greats like Duke Ellington, she never accepted offers to record or participate in projects within that genre, limiting herself to singing spiritual music and recording countless works within that style. Nominated for several Grammy Awards and winner of other prestigious prizes, her discography, while not extensive, is one of the richest and most fundamental in the history of gospel music, having resonated worldwide and cementing her status as one of the great icons of contemporary music.